ehhh, you sure?

It seems to me that I live in a very different time period.  I love that my generation is the one that was born into the world of the Internet. We live in a time where information from all of around the world is shared and free. We live in a world where, for the most part, if you have something to say, someone will hear it. This is whether that person is the one person that follows your blog on the other side of the world, or that kid in English class you don’t really know but likes all of your Facebook status’. But it is also a little disheartening to know that I cant trust everything that I see out there. I realize that many people cheat steal and especially lie, so trust, especially growing up in New York, something that wasn’t innate to me. Trust was that distant cousin you wouldn’t see to often. The same cousin who if you weren’t really comfortable with you could leave alone and stay away from, because you only saw him when you had to. But having this discontent for the trust issues of the world today I feel as though I really appreciate the truth. The truth is not something to be expected anymore, it is something to look out for and be very cautious of. I realize it is easier to gain and lose respect now, just as it is easier to gain and lose credibility. The world is much more fast pace, you really have to pay attention to what’s going on around you, so when you do come across someone who is telling the truth in this giant pool of lies, they are game changers. Most people don’t know how to deal with them or even know how to react.

"A pedestal is as much a prision as any small, confined space."

A pedestal is created to elevate an object to a higher level over other things.  Placing this object upon the pedestal is like a create special box or force field around it, making it untouchable or taintless.  Many years ago when society was male dominated, women of "class" where placed on such pedestals, where they were thought t be of higher regard than woman of "lower class" then them.  All along not realizing they were actually just being caged in a box placed up high, confined to what society said they were worth.  Much like a prision.  You are set apart. Confined in a space, created just for you.

-Jaclynn Moret

"The moment you think you understand a great work of art, it is dead for you."

Not understanding something creates intrigue, therefore, feeds a person's curiosity about the object of their interest.  Trying to figure something or someone out is exciting and can be stimulating.  Wanting to read into every detail of that object and analyzing it to the best of your ability gives it that much more value to you.  Often times this need to solve it's mystery can awaken you and bring you to life.  The more unique and complex the more alive you become.  To finally crack the code and understand this wonderfully made complexity, it loses it's life.

-Jaclynn Moret

"This is what it means to say, Chinatown"

Trash all over the sidewalks and street, consant yelling in Chinese, cars honking, traffic jams, and the smell lets not forget that. This is my hometown, a disgusting pile of cultural trash. I have to listen to these people every single day of my 17 years of living here. The annoyance is building up and I just can't take it anymore. The people who live think they know everything. They think they're gods to their friends and family, but what I see is a person just wanting to be noticed and heard. We call these people FOB's (Fresh of the boat). As quoted from my father "You can take the people out of China, but you can't take the China out of people." My friends that come by Chinatown tell me, "This place is amazing. You've got food, activities, people, and life. I would love to live here." Boy are they wrong. My friends don't understand that the people who live here are Fresh of the boat. They don't know any better. The life style the Chinese live are different then in the states. They treat where they live like junkyard, full of trash. But even though the annoyance is building up, this is still my home and my roots. I grew up here and I have to accept it even though I hate the neighborhood a lot, deep down I love it at the same time. This is what it means to say "Chinatown".

- Alexander Huang

This is what it means to say.... Brooklyn

This is what it means to say…..Bedstuy. You take great pride in where you come from, you don’t snitch, and you always mind your own business. This is what it means to say “get down, they shootin!” This is what it means to see the entire Marcy Projects look deserted when patrol cars come through. This is what it means to be in the second grade playing outside with your friends and little tiny crack containers at your feet. This is what it means to say addiction, eviction and conviction. This is what it means to cry when you hear that someone you grew up with gets shot in the head over drugs, the same drugs that killed the men in our lives. This is what it means to say you got to be tough because everyone around you is rock solid and tears are just rain drops. This is what it means when we say HELLO BROOKLYN and don’t forget to say hello hardships, hello heartache, hello fist fights, hello shootouts, hello to the drug dealers and hello to the crack heads. This is what it means to strive for better. Hello Brooklyn.

Fatima Garnett